Lehigh Football Nation

It's less and less of a surprise every year that EA Sports chooses not to include Patriot League schools in the only NCAA Football video game title on the market. But I always check: and this year, yet again Patriot League fans are skunked. Maybe it's been the hopes of too many summers unrealized, but the gleam in my eye when EA Sports used to release a new version of their college football game has been replaced with cold cynicism. In years past I used to race out to the store to try to play-test the game. Finding out the changes in gameplay and possibilities about dynasty mode were something that interested me. I never got what I really wanted, but usually there was something interesting to take the edge off. Maybe dynasty mode was expanded, or more I-AA teams, or a Heisman mode. I'd look at some of the versions and say, "Maybe I could work with this". As '07 hit store shelves this year, the neglect to I-AA teams in general was pretty apparent. No I-AA playo...

With my "contest" of renaming Lehigh/Lafayette extending into early next week, and the release of EA Sports' NCAA '07 to rail about next week as well, here's my annual feature which is sure to whet your appetite for Patriot League football this year. That's right - it's my annual recap of the offseason for every Patriot League team! Each offseason brings a lot of upheaval in college football - it's inevitable. New classes come in, coaches leave, and stars graduate. It's a lot to keep track of. As a service to you, the Patriot League fan, I've netted it out and compiled the important information from every offseason and compiled it here. Here's your guide to what's been happening up to this point. BUCKNELL Coaching Changes: A new offensive coordinator in Ashley Ingram cements the "spread option" offensive philosiphy in Lewisburg, while a new defensive line coach in Pat Kingman takes over as well. They take over for two coaches...

As I sit and write the Patriot League preview for I-AA.org magazine, something keeps bothering me. Every time I refer to Lehigh/Lafayette, I have to call it "The Game". Some may like it named that way, but I sure don't. I feel like when most non-beleivers look at references to "The Game", it refers to Harvard/Yale. When pressed further, I then have to talk like a wild-eyed cultist as to how Lehigh and Lafayette have played each other more times, have played more consecutive years, and have more at stake (I-AA playoff berths). There has to be a better name to call the most-played football rivalry in the world. "The Rivalry", "The Backyard Brawl", something. But after years of thinking about it I can't figure out a better way to describe the best football rivalry in the world. That's why I'm holding a contest. If you, dear reader, can come up with a better, marketable, name for Lehigh/Lafayette, your choice will make the pages of I...

This weeks "Get through the Summer" piece is actually on I-AA.org, my column called "What's Up Out East?" (or, in the words of an immortal beer ad, WASSSSSUP Out East?) It covers all the eastern conferences, and specilates briefly about the near future of all the eastern I-AA conferences. I was surprised at Matt Dougherty's and Dave Coulson's reactions on two issues in particular. First was their unanimous feeling that the CAA/A-10 was heading for a split sometime very soon into a CAA and America East conference. I don't feel like it's a slam dunk just yet, unless IUP joins the America East. Second was their feelings on the Patriot League. Dave felt like the Patriot League was "already there" with the elite in I-AA and would continue to "play games" with the grant-in-aid's in the future to ensure it remains that way. Matt felt like maintaining the need-based scholarship model was the most important thing, and (thoug...

Heath Brickner, class of 2009, is featured in this article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. It talks about Heath's play in the Foothills Football Classic last weekend, where he was MVP with 4 receptions and 2 TD catches. Projected as a linebacker, Heath is 6'4 and 210, which has got to get folks excited about his potential in that linebacking corps. With speed and size, the potential is there to be a good OLB in time. At Thomas Jefferson HS, he played both wideout and corner, so there's no question about the speed part. More notable quotes: Brickner, a 4.0 student in high school, is headed to Lehigh University where he is penciled in as an outside linebacker. Lehigh coaches might want to consider giving him a look at receiver if the linebacking corps is full. "I really don't care where I play. I'll play receiver if they want me to. I just want to play," said Brickner, who was a two-way regular and three-year letterman at Thomas Jefferson. He decided on Le...

I'm working on a "Get through the Summer" series that is good enough to make it on I-AA.org, which means that to get you through the next few days (at least), you'll have to make do with something that's out there. Fortunately, Lehigh's sports information director came through for me, as well as Scout.com, with a few announcements of interest. First, Lehigh's 2006 schedule is now set . Of particular note is that Lehigh's clash at Villanova, a short hour from Bethlehem, has a 6PM start and may just be televised on CN8. The Lafayette game also, uncommonly, has a 1PM start time, which seems to imply that the new lights at Fisher Field will be done by then. (I've also updated my website accordingly.) Second, Gerran Walker has a nice write-up on Scout.com on being a Southern Gentleman with Big-Play Speed . An excerpt follows: Gerran Walker is such a southern gentleman, he even tries to keep his name simple for others who often struggle with the proper ...

Ok, Part I gave us a pretty good explanation of the playing field. Now we can judge the candidates. Who is a good shot for expansion? Who isn't? Let's not waste time - let's jump into Part II! Strong Contenders for All-Sports Membership JOHNS HOPKINS The Blue Jays appear to be the perfect type of school that the Patriot League could be targeting. Competing in the D-III Centennial Conference in football (and in all other sports, save lacrosse), if you look at their recently upgraded facilities and teams, they are a "D-III school in a D-I body." Facility-wise, the Jays could put some other Patriot League schools' athletic training rooms to shame. Academically, there are zero questions - they are exactly what the Patriot League wants. If you're in the Top 20 Universites nationally , you've got an open Patriot League invite. Athletically, Johns Hopkins' Men's Lacrosse team (competing as a Division I independent) captured the NCAA t...